Former USF, Plant High quarterback Jordan McCloud headed to Arizona

Roughly a month after entering the NCAA transfer portal, former USF quarterback Jordan McCloud announced Saturday he’ll transfer to the University of Arizona.

The Wildcats recently hired NFL and college journeyman assistant Jedd Fisch, who has spent the past three years in the NFL, including the 2020 season as Bill Belichick’s quarterbacks coach in New England.

A Plant High alumnus, McCloud made 16 starts over the past two seasons. He was thrust into action as a redshirt freshman in the third game of the 2019 season and remained the starter — even with a banged-up thumb and shoulder — out of necessity when injuries decimated the position.

He completed 55.4 percent of his passes that year (124-for-224) for 1,429 yards, 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions, compiling a 4-6 record as a starter.

He retained the starting job in 2020 following an abbreviated quarterback derby under new coach Jeff Scott but struggled mightily with the rest of the offense, hindered by depth issues and the transition to a new system.

But he shined in what would be his USF finale, passing for 404 yards (the fourth-highest single-game total in program history) and four touchdowns with no interceptions in a 58-46 loss to UCF on Nov. 27.

Other USF transfers who have announced their new college destinations included tailback/receiver Johnny Ford (Florida Atlantic) and cornerback Bentlee Sanders (Nevada).

Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls.